Mourners bid farewell to legendary Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballe

The hearse carrying the casket of Spanish opera singer Montserrat Caballe leaves the funeral home in Barcelona, Spain, October 8, 2018. REUTERS/Albert Gea

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Spanish royalty, politicians and Catalan tenor Jose Carreras joined family and friends of legendary soprano singer Montserrat Caballe for her funeral on Monday, two days after her death at the age of 85.

Caballe, famed for her powerful, soaring voice, enjoyed an international career spanning nearly six decades and was known not only for her great operatic performances. In 1987 she released the song “Barcelona”, an anthem to her native city, with Freddie Mercury, lead singer of British rock group Queen.